More new baby pics

I wanted to write about my experience so far as a mama to baby Orren but am so so busy I haven't had time, so here are some more pics of my lovely baby, will hopefully talk properly soon.

My world now

Just looking at this beautiful face all day:

Oh and changing nappies, feeding and stacks and stacks of laundry!

Pleased to introduce our new baby boy

Born on 18th February 2011 at 11.39am, he weighed 7lbs 8 oz and arrived quickly after 4 1/2 hours in labour. 

Very happy, tired and sore.

Maternity leave: Days five and six

Spent yesterday getting the house ready for my "afternoon tea with mummy to be" (NOT a baby shower which is far to cliché and makes people feel obligated to bring gifts), including a food shop which was shockingly expensive.  Can't believe a small trolley now costs what it would have cost to fill a large trolley 5 years ago. Also put together my party games, including a drawing of a giant baby with an anatomically correct umbilical cord and placenta to pin on!  my pregnancy quiz which took me about 2 hours to do...I think I was really over-thinking the questions, printing off sheets for match the celebrity baby names to their celebrity parents, guess the measurement of mummy's tummy with string, preparing for guess the baby food flavour and preparing vegetables and fruit for match the vegetable to the age of the foetus (in weeks).

On second thoughts the placenta looks more like a tomato.

Today I got up early to get everything ready and made two trays of sandwiches for all the guests.  My mum and sisters came over in the morning and helped me with the last few finishing touches to the house as well as finishing off icing some cupcakes that my sisters made. Friends arrived at about 1.30 then all through the afternoon friends popped in and out, we had sandwiches, cake, tea and played the games as well as me opening presents which was so sweet of my friends, and not expected at all.  I was very happy to receive the Mamas and Papas Jamboree changing mat which I have been lusting after.  There was an element of surrealism to the whole thing though, it felt a little bit like my birthday, only nothing was for me!
Foolishly I forgot to take any photos for the entire day,  took some last minute ones of me and my family but apart from that, nothing! What an idiot!

yes, my sister is holding a spider plant, it was the prize she chose for winning one of the games!

Maternity leave: Day four

Thought I would share with you some artwork I have done for the  baby's room today.  Do you remember this post, of images from the Jamboree collection at Mamas and Papas, in particular theses paintings?  Well I loved them so much but just couldn't justify £22 pounds a pop.  So...I decided to imitate them on canvases I bought from Hobby Craft for about £5.00.  Do you like?  I am really pleased with them.

Today I continued the big clear out, nearly there now, made some soup for freezing so that when baby comes we have some easy nutritious meals at the ready and added a few more things to my hospital bags.

What are you up to?

Getting ready for baby

I have found the process of preparing for a baby extremely over whelming and have spent many hours in tears wondering how on earth we can afford everything we need, worrying that we are running out of time and becoming more and more confused by the sheer amount of choice out there.  Today, however I decided to bite the bullet, I went shopping and bought a few bits.  To make it seem less over whelming I have been focusing on what I need for my hospital bag and the first few days at home, here is a list of my purchases so far:

Breast pads,
Maternity pads,
Maternity mats, (what fun!)
nappies,
baby wipes,
a night shirt,
muslin squares,
5 sleep suits,
a blanket.

Next on my list are a dressing gown and a car seat so we can get the little one home.

Here is everything so far.  Not a lot but it's something!